Numerous recently privatized enterprises in Serbia have been ruined as a consequence of the [Serbian] Privatization Agency's irresponsible behavior. The current workers protests are predominantly provoked by corruption and abuses in which the Agency's own functionaries are often embroiled. The workers remain without jobs, without paid-in salaries, and their factories are often forced into a state of bankruptcy [after privatization]. All this justifiably brings into question the entire privatization process, which - according to the latest research by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Belgrade's Faculty of Philosophy - enjoys the support of only 19% of those polled.

Besides the known fact that the illegal actions of the Privatization Agency have brought about the ruin of a number of successful enterprises in Serbia, the Agency is reacting with hysterical threats to the fear that "Ravanica's" workers have for their jobs. What is behind the aggressive behavior of the Agency in response to the common sense coming from "Ravanica"? For what reason is the successful [public] management [supported by the workers] of "Ravanica" being threatened with legal consequences, while at the same time thousands of private owners are enjoying the protection of the Serbian government (even though they've ruined Serbian industry in close cooperation with the functionaries of the Privatization Agency)?

We reject that the privatization of "Ravanica" be decided without our participation. The workers, in their immediate surroundings, have numerous examples of factories that were ruined by privatization, where workers were left without jobs and their factories run into bankruptcy. We do not want this to be our destiny as well. This is why we're joining the Coordinating Committee with the aim of struggling in solidarity against the collapse of our factories and for the defense of our jobs.

The Coordinating Committee for Workers Protests in Serbia addressed today Minister Rasim Ljajic and the President of the Government's Working Group for the Overcoming of Problems in the Realization of the Rights of Employees in the Conditions of Economic Crisis, with the demand for an immediate meeting.

7 September 2009

For the Coordinating Committee for Workers Protests in Serbia:

          "Ravanica" Strike Committee President
            Dragana Mitrović

           "Zastava elektro" Strike Committee President
            Slobodan Gajić

           "Srbolek" Strike Committee President
            Zoran Gočević

           "Šinvoz" Strike Committee President
            Mita Lisica

           "BEK" Strike Committee President
            Milena Prstojević